Yemeni Opposition Rejects Formal Dialogue

Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh rejected a plan for his resignation that the opposition said would lead to a peaceful transition to democracy.

The plan is a “blatant overthrow of democracy and constitutional legitimacy,” the official Saba news service cited an unidentified official at the presidential office as saying.

The country’s reference is the constitution and “deviating” from it “poses grave risks,” it said.

Yemen’s opposition coalition gave Saleh a plan outlining a smooth transfer of power based on a statement by the president that he will not seek an extension or transfer power to his son, Mohammed al-Sabri, a spokesman for the coalition, reported on 3 March.

The plan would see Saleh out of office before his term ends in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni opposition parties have rejected forming a national government and confirmed their commitment to the fall of the regime.

According to a spokesman for the JMP Mohammed Al-Qobati, the call to form a government came in stoppage time and he said that the president should step down instead of painkillers that have become obsolete. He called upon the President to stop the murderers scattered throughout the provinces.

On Monday, government sources said that Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is ready to form a unity government with the opposition within hours if the opposition provided names to fill the ministerial portfolios.

This call came after the president made a series of meetings with religious leaders in order to promote a plan to form a coalition and national government aiming at ending the disturbances and protests taking place in Yemen.

However, the Yemeni opposition said it would not join a unity government on what appears and appears to be relying on its strength in street. An official statement from the opposition affirmed that they will remain committed to the people demands to end Saleh’s regime.

Protest and strikes continued to demand the departure of the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on the eastern side of Sana’a University.

A “day of rage” proceed on Tuesday in all governorates of the Republic protesting against the massacre of peaceful protestors in Aden.

The JMPs had called all its cadres and members and supporters to participate

actively in the “Day of Rage” in solidarity with the martyrs of Aden which will take place on Tuesday.

According to the JMP’s statement and it comes in light of the military siege imposed through armored vehicles on Aden city for more than a week and the unprecedented intentional division the city to the islands and isolating neighborhoods from each other.

The security presence produced a palpable sense of tension and exacerbated the situation with congested in the city open to all possibilities.

Ther General People’s Congress, the ruling party in Yemen, and its allies criticized the call of JMP for a “day of rage” on Tuesday.

The GPC had levied full responsibility on the JMP for whatever violence or negative results arose out of the “day of rage.”

The National Democratic Alliance parties called once again the JMP to arbitrate with mind and reason and keep in mind the higher interest of homeland above all other interests and to return to the table of dialogue as the best way to solve problems in order to preserve the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, and preserve the achievements of Yemeni unity.

An official source at the General People’s Congress and National Alliance parties relayed his desire that the JMP should “wisely recognize that our country in all circumstances cannot bear reckless obstruction that causes extensive damage to the citizens and their lives and public property.

The National Coalition parties confirmed once again that freedom, democracy and development in Yemen will continue to be guarded vigilantly by the Yemeni people’s awareness as well as by the army and security forces.